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There's a wedding photograph in and old family album. It shows my great aunt's Jessie's wedding to a Scottish clergyman, the Reverend John Ireland Macdonald. The older guests are sitting on some lovely turned chairs with woven cane seats.
This was back in 1901, and the chairs have been in England for more than eighty years. They are going back to the Nilgiris without a doubt.
But what about the carved elephant table with ivory tusks? It has survived the journey once, and it will survive again, so that will probably help to fill the container with furniture and household goods.
We have some beautiful hand-woven carpets made in the North of India. We'll probably keep those in England, as we can always buy more in India and a very fair price.
Now, the Tiger's head - Bastar State 8ft 3in tip to tail - shot by great uncle Charlie and in all probability mounted by the Van Ingens - that can't possibly go back to India. All such specimens must be registered with the relevant government department, and I can imagine that the paperwork would take years. That's staying in the UK along with the brown bear!
We have a dilemma though. An 1866 John Broadwood grand piano probably won't fit in the smaller house we plan to buy in the UK. At 7ft 6in in length it is bigger than most cottages or small houses would allow, and I'm afraid that, with its wooden frame, it simply wouldn't survive in the Nilgiris. We'll probably have to sell it.
But we do have an iron-framed yacht piano that belonged to my wife's grandmother. That's made to cope with the damp and it will be good to bash out a few tunes to entertain ourselves during the powercuts!
We'll have to have a think about what else to take and what to leave behind; I'll report back.
This was back in 1901, and the chairs have been in England for more than eighty years. They are going back to the Nilgiris without a doubt.
But what about the carved elephant table with ivory tusks? It has survived the journey once, and it will survive again, so that will probably help to fill the container with furniture and household goods.
We have some beautiful hand-woven carpets made in the North of India. We'll probably keep those in England, as we can always buy more in India and a very fair price.
Now, the Tiger's head - Bastar State 8ft 3in tip to tail - shot by great uncle Charlie and in all probability mounted by the Van Ingens - that can't possibly go back to India. All such specimens must be registered with the relevant government department, and I can imagine that the paperwork would take years. That's staying in the UK along with the brown bear!
We have a dilemma though. An 1866 John Broadwood grand piano probably won't fit in the smaller house we plan to buy in the UK. At 7ft 6in in length it is bigger than most cottages or small houses would allow, and I'm afraid that, with its wooden frame, it simply wouldn't survive in the Nilgiris. We'll probably have to sell it.
But we do have an iron-framed yacht piano that belonged to my wife's grandmother. That's made to cope with the damp and it will be good to bash out a few tunes to entertain ourselves during the powercuts!
We'll have to have a think about what else to take and what to leave behind; I'll report back.
